The truth that sets you free

Check out 22 Liberating truths for Women by Nancy Leigh de Moss. I found it really useful. It pays to have a look at it everyday.

PS: u might'nt been able to open the link before but I've fixed it.

Hear the true gospel

Wow. What a liberating article! This article reminds us of the true gospel and not be drifted away with moralism and perfectionism which are unfortunately so believed by the church. May you be delivered just as I am.

Christ vs Moralism by John W. Hendrix

Oh How sweet is the grace of Jesus
Unto Jesus alone all praises and glory

thanks Anne

The Preacher said

For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.

What do people really get for all their hard work? I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him. What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.

I also noticed that under the sun there is evil in the courtroom. Yes, even the courts of law are corrupt! I said to myself, “In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds.”

I also thought about the human condition—how God proves to people that they are like animals. For people and animals share the same fate—both breathe^[a] and both must die. So people have no real advantage over the animals. How meaningless! Both go to the same place—they came from dust and they return to dust. For who can prove that the human spirit goes up and the spirit of animals goes down into the earth? So I saw that there is nothing better for people than to be happy in their work. That is why we are here! No one will bring us back from death to enjoy life after we die.

Ecclesiates 3 TNIV

Picture by Orvaratli

No worries, He is chained

"So I saw in my dream that He made haste and went forward, that if possible he might get lodging there. Now before he had gone far, he entered into a very narrow passage, which was about a furlong off the porter's lodge, and looking very narrowly before him as he went, he espied two lions in the way. Now, thought he, I see the dangers that Mistrust and Timorous were driven back by (the lions were chained, but he saw not the chains!). Then he was afraid, and thought also himself to go back after them, for he thought nothing but death was before him. But the porter at the lodge, whose name is Watchful, perceiving that Christian made a halt, as if he would go back, cried unto him saying: 'Is thy strength so small? Fear not the lions, for they are chained, and are placed there for trial of faith where it is; and for discovery of those that have none: keep in the midst of the path, and no hurt shall come unto thee.'"

The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan

Picture from http://www.orionsgate.org/chained.html

Chai my way out

I love chai tea! When I feel unwell, I always opt for having a cup of chai tea rather than taking pills. So, I am going to share my own version of chai.

To make a cup of Chai tea:

250 mL water

Cinnamon stick (about a thumb length)

Grated nutmeg (about two tiny pieces)

White pepper corn (I only put one or two)

Ginger slices (I put lots!)

Star anise (1 pod)

1 whole cloves

1 tbs sweetened condensed milk

1 tea bag

You can add as much as you like depends on how strong you like it. I like it medium spicy. So, I brew water with the spices first until the first sign of boiling and then filter. Wait a couple of second before adding the tea bag (just so that it's not too hot to destroy much of its antioxidants). Add condensed milk. A cup of chai tea is ready for you.

Picture by Roboppy

Pergi Belanja

Hari ini aku senang sekali karena bisa pergi shopping sama mama. Sudah lama tidak belanja dan tempat belanja favorit kita adalah di pasar pagi mangga dua. Disana banyak banget pernak-pernik unik dengan harga terjangkau. Wah, berat badan ku naik and aku...out of shape, oops. Jadinya rada susah kalo nyari baju. Sutralah, direlakan saja.

Sekarang dimana-mana diiklankan kalo postur tubuh yang cantik adalah yang langsing dan tinggi. Hah, tipikal sekali. Kenapa sih ga bikin baju yang lebih customized, kan gak semua orang tinggi dan langsing. Dan juga aku sebel banget karena ini misleading sekali, semua wanita jadi berlomba-lomba untuk diet lah, olahraga, although aku gak ngelarang sih olahraga karena bagus untuk kesehatan. Kalau emang kita udah obesitas, ato BMI kita udah diatas normal, boleh deh diet supaya sehat. Tapi kalo kita sehat walafiat, trus ngerasa gak pede dengan bentuk tubuh kita. Kayaknya kita salah banget. Ini ngomong dari pengalaman sendiri. Aku sudah muak ikut-ikutan dan merasa silly sekali. Puji syukur kita sehat tidak sakit, sayangilah pemberian Tuhan. Okay, some say that yang jomblo bakal semakin jomblo dengan bentuk tubuh yang out of shape. Aduh...plis dong ah. Kalo cowok-cowok yang cuma tertarik ama bentuk tubuh kita itu udah ngasih tahu kita tuh kalo mereka kurang bijaksana. Beauty is good but it is fleeting. It doesn't mean that we don't care about the outward beauty, it only means that it should not be our first priority. Terlalu mudah dan udah terlalu sering untuk judge seseorang by its cover, dan udah terlalu banyak judgement yang salah.

Biarlah kita tumbuh lebih bijaksana setiap hari.

Picture by [au ro]

Have Thine Own Way

Have Thine own way Lord

Have Thine own way

Thou art the Potter I am the clay

Mold me and make me after Thy will

While I am waiting yielded and still

Have Thine Own way Lord

Have Thine own way

Wounded and weary help me I pray

Power all power surely is Thine

Touch me and heal me Saviour Divine

Divine

Have Thy own way Saviour Divine

Yes Have Thy own way...

Picture by serendipitypeace

My cousin's Birthday

My cute little cousin was three on last saturday. She is sooo pretty. We all went to celebrate her birthday at the restaurant. It was very nice :). The second photo got my other cousin, compare to the rest she is the most extroverted one. We played often when we were kids but have been separated for years and now we're like friends again. I didn't manage to play with her younger sister though cos she was tiny at that time and so didn't go to angkong's (grandpa) place that much. We used to stay over at my angkong's for the weekend, we would do plays, begged uncle to bring us to the mall and bought some dolls/goodies to show it off with our classmates ;p, my aunt would sometime take us to the sunday school, good times. I miss my angkong and ama (grandma), they passed away when I was a little girl.

Lift Jesus higher

thanks Anne. I was greatly comforted from my frustration by listening to these kids singing.

Psalm 131

My heart is not proud, O Lord.
My eyes are not haughty.
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.

But, I have stilled and quieted my soul.
Like a weaned child with its mother.
Like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.

Today's bread

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord, and shun evils. That will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

Proverbs 3:5-8

But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of God may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Hiding His word in my heart

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way over the man who carries out evil devices (Psalm 37:7).

Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are they who keeps his statutes and seek Him with all their heart (Psalm 119:1-2).

How can a young man keep is his way pure? by living according to your word (Psalm 119:9).

It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees (Psalm 119:71).

I know, O Lord, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me (Psalm 119:75).

My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life (Psalm 119:50).

The way appointed by Elizabeth Elliot

http://www.elisabethelliot.org/devotional.html

"One aspect of the mystery of God's sovereign will is how the calculated evil of men is not only permitted, but actually becomes a necessary part of the divine plan. We are tempted to think of the wrongs done to us as hindrances, frustrations, interruptions. "What has this got to do with the will of God?" we ask, irritated and, we suppose, justifiably impatient with human interference. But the truth is that both our time and our way are in God's hands--they are "appointed." Surely it is so for all his sons as it was for the Son of Man. When He was on the verge of being "handed over for crucifixion," and betrayed by one of his own disciples, He said, "My appointed time is near....One who has dipped his hand into this bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man is going the way appointed for him" (Mt 26:18, 24 NEB).

Out of the deepest depths of human evil the good God brought salvation--the very salvation of man whose sinfulness killed the Son He sent.

Nothing can reach us, from any source in earth or hell, no matter how evil, which God cannot turn to his own redemptive purpose. Let us be glad that the way is not a game of chance, a mere roll of dice which determines our fortune or calamity--it is a way appointed, and it is appointed for God's eternal glory and our final good."

The Lotus and The Cross by Ravi Zacharias

"Allah menjawab setiap doa dengan entah memberikan apa yang diminta atau dengan mengingatkan si pemohon bahwa ketetapan Allah itu dibangun atas dasar HikmatNya dan dilaksanakan sesuai dengan waktuNya.

JawabanNya adalah selalu untuk mengajar dan mengasuh jiwa.

Doa adalah sebuah pengingat bahwa manusia tidak bersifat otonomi.

Ketika anugrah dikeluarkan, hukum atau orang yang mencari kekuasaan akan mengambil alih. Legalisme berlaku dan upacara menjadi fokus. Kedua hal ini -takhyul dan legalisme - mendesak kedalam hati orang yang kehilangan Allah yang murah hati dan kasih karunia.

Tak ada jalan untuk membicarakan apa yang harus dikerjakan seseorang tanpa menunjukkan nilai orang itu. Tak ada jalan untuk menilai seseorang kecuali nilai hakikinya. Nilai itu tak mungkin bisa hakiki jika seseorang tidak diciptakan oleh seorang yang ultimat.

Dia mengetahui kelemahan-kelemahanmu tetapi tetap mengasihimu apa adanya. Dia menyingkapkan, Dia mengubah, dan Dia mengisi hatimu. Perubahan yang kubawa bukan supaya seseorang menganggap ia menjadi orang lain, tapi untuk menyerahkannya pada kuasa luar biasa Allah Roh Kudus.

Penghormatan akan hak orang lain untuk bersalah bukan berarti bahwa kesalahan itu adalah sesuatu yang benar."

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Don't Waste Your Life

A Sermon: Anxieties to be cast, Not carried by John Piper

Click to read, listen, and download this sermon.

Personal notes:

Casting anxieties on the Lord means to be humble and allow the Lord to care for us just as He had promised. Being humble will cost my ego and I run the risk of losing face.

A Sermon: Spiritual Depression in Psalms by John Piper

Click to read, listen, watch, and download the sermon.

Personal notes:

I had been blessed by this sermon. Particularly, it sets me free to ask the "whys" in time of suffering. The fact that our bitter and theologically unsound words uttered are but winds which God graciously allowed. We are to look to God, recognize that He is sovereign, remember the joyful times, wait in patience and desire Him even more than our deliverance.

Today is a gift

Yesterday is History,
Tomorrow is Mystery,
Today is a Gift. That is why it is called Present.

-kungfu panda quote